Automatic circuit closer



(No Model.) J. VON DER KAMMER. AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT GLOSER.

Patented Dec. 24, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN VON DER KAMMER, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES \VARD PACKARD, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT-CLOSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,758, dated December 24, 1889.

Application filed April 25, 1889. Serial No. 308,561. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

terminal and the recessed terminal in ordi- Be it known that 1, JOHN VON DER KAM- nary circumstances. The adjustable plug X MER, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, is turned and projected into the recess Q, by residing at New York, in the county of New means of the screw-adjustment L, until the 5 York and State of New York, have invented distance between the bifurcated spring and certain new and useful Improvements in Authe sides and bottom of the recess Q is just tomatic Circuit-Closers; and I do hereby desuflicient to permit of the passage of a spark clare the following to be a full, clear, and exwhen the lamp A is broken or the main ciract description of the invention, such as will cuit is in any other way suddenly destroyed. 6o

[0 enable others skilled in the art to which it The passage of the spark will melt the fusible appertains to make and use the same. material between the branches M and O of My invention consists in the form of an authe bifurcated spring-terminal, and the latter tomatic circuit-closer for shunt-circuits, herewill spread and form a double metallic coninafter to be described and illustrated. tact with the sides of the recess Q in the post 15 In the drawings, Figure 1 shows in diagram K. The current will then pass through the my circuit-closer placed in a shunt-circuit shunt-circuit, and the operativeness of the about an incandescent lamp. Fig. 2 shows a rest of the system of electrical connections perspective View of my circuit-closer. Fig. 3 will remain unimpaired by the breakage of is a vertical section through Fig. 2, taken on the lamp A. It is obvious that one of the 20 the line of the axis of the plug. Fig. 4 shows a branches M or 0 might be rigid and the other modification. branch fastened to it by the fusible material,

When incandescent electric lights are conand released from it on the passage of the nected in series, and in many other cases in spark, as above described. electric constructions, it is desirable to have I am aware that heretofore automatic cir- 2 5 an automatic circuit-closer placed in a shuntcuit-closers have been constructed in which circuit about the lamp or other portion of the the passage of the entire current through the main circuit, so that when the lamp breaks or shunt-circuit has acted to melt a certain porthe main circuit is otherwise destroyed the tion of fusible material and permit a spring shunt-circuit will be closed and the operative to be forced through this melted material, so So 30 ness of the entire system of electrical counecas to produce metallic contact; but my inventions thereby preserved. tion consists in withholdingv the spring-termi- A represents an electric lamp, and B and O nal from contact with the opposite terminal portions of the main circuit by which an elecby the fusible material, the latter not being tric circuit is supplied to the lamp. in the circuit, but being so placed as to melt 3 5 D and E are portions of a shunt-circuit in at the passage of a spark. As a result, I alwhich is placed my improved form of autoways secure a clean broad contact between matic circuitcloser. Upon any suitable inthe metallic surfaces on the release of the sulating-base H are two metallic posts K and spring, and do not run the risk of an imper- J, which, by means of the screws F and G, fect contact, which frequently results when o 0 are connected to the terminals D and E of the the spring is to be forced through the melting shunt-circuit. The post K has a recess Q, material, and may be arrested by any infusiinto which the other part of the circuit-closer ble particle which gets in its path. Moreover, is introduced. This other part of the circuitthe shunt-circuit is absolutely broken norcloser consists, preferably, of the bifurcated mally, instead of being merely a high-resist- 5 spring, having two branches M and O, which ance circuit, as in the other arrangement. I is mounted in any suitable plug X, secured am also enabled to choose from awider range in the post J by means of the thread L, as of varieties of fusible material, inasmuch as shown in Fig. 3. The two branches M and O in my circuit-closer the fusible material need of the bifurcated spring-terminal are held tonot be also an insulating material. Finally, I00

50 getherbyafilm of fusible material Y. Oonsewith my invention the circuit is closed in quently there is no contact between the springstantaneously, forming a shunt of low resistance, While in the circuit-closers heretofore employed the current is compelled to force its way through a high resistance till the fusible material is melted.

If desirable, my circuit-closer may be arranged in the lamp itself, as shown in Fig. at, where the branches M and O of the bifurcated spring-terminal are connected to one electrode J of the lamp A, and tend to close and clasp the other elect-rode K, but are prevented from doing sotill the breaking of the lamp-carbon causesta spark to pass and melt the fusible material Y. The branches M and 0 then come together, clasp the electrode K, and complete the circuit.

Having therefore described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic circuit-closer for shuntcircuits, the combination of the bifurcated spring, which forms one terminal of the open shunt-circuit, the recessed piece,whieh forms the other terminal, and suitable fusible material by which the branches of the bifurcated spring are held together and out of contact with the recessed piece until said fusible material is melted by the passage of the spark, substantially as described.

2. In an automatic cireuitcloser for shunteircuits, the combination of the bifurcated spring, which forms one terminal of the open shuntcircuit, the recessed piece,whieh forms the other terminal, and suitable fusible material by which the branches of the bifurcated spring are held together and out of contact with the recessed piece, together with the adjustable support for said bifurcated spring, substantially as described:

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in. presence of two witnesses.

JOHN VON DER KAMMER.

Witnesses:

Jos. W. PACKARD, JAMES BOYLAN. 

